1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a handlamp assembly for replaceably mounting a headlamp of a vehicle such as an automobile.
2. Description of the Related Art
Shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is an example of a conventional headlamp assembly 21 which comprises a bulb socket 22 and a locking member 23 both formed as a separate part thereof. The socket 22 substantially of a cylindrical shape is integrally formed with and at the rear of a reflector 11 of a handlamp. At the inner wall of the cylindrical socket 22 a bulb mount 22a is formed in such a shape that supports a shroud 31a of a bulb 31. At the outer wall of socket 22, three keys 22b are formed extending outward from the outer wall surface The locking member 23 substantially of a cylindrical shape has a top plate 23a with an opening 23b large enough to allow a rear shroud 31b of the bulb 31 to pass therethrough, and has three key retainers 23c with which the keys 22b are respectively engaged when the locking member 23 is mounted on bulb socket 22 and rotated in a predetermined direction. The bulb 31 is fixedly mounted within the assembly by holding a flange 31c between the bulb socket 22 and the locking member 23. A spring washer 24 and an O-ring 25 (FIG. 6) are used if necessary.
The above-described conventional headlamp assembly however has some problems. For example, first, it has recently become a tendency to adopt bulbs of the type having an L-shaped electrical connector extending at a right angle from the back of the bulb. Therefore, the conventional headlamp assembly cannot be applied to bulbs of this type because the locking member 23 cannot receive the bulb due to the shape of the electrical connector. Second, since the locking member 23 is readily removed from the bulb socket 22, it is likely to be lost during replacement of the bulb 31 by the user.